Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives
Posted By: Pole120 ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/12/06 02:58 AM
Detailed below is the easiest way I�ve found thus far to install Energy Suspension's trailing arm bushing set. Total time of bushing install (removal/install of arms not included) about 1 hour. Please excuse picture quality; these were taken with my old digi-cam.


Tools needed

Propane torch
1 3/8" hole saw and drill
3/8 ratchet
9/16 socket
9/16 wrench
15mm socket
Breaker bar
PB blaster

Optional-

Air hammer with chisel attachment

Also needed

ES Bushing set
(1) 3/8-16 x 3 1/2" hex bolt
(1) 3/8-16 nut
(2) 1 1/4" OD washers
(2) 1 3/4" OD washers


Arm Bushings

1) After soaking the bolts (there are three on each side) with PB blaster remove the arm and bracket assemblies from the car noting which side they are off of.
2) Remove arms from brackets.
3) Select the proper bushing for the arms as pictured below, the center portion of the bushing is the same width as the metal sleeve in the arm.


4) Using your propane torch you need to burn the original bushings out of the arms, DO NOT do this indoors, orient the arms as pictured below. Light both sides top and bottom. The center portion and most of the rubber will eventually fall through the arm opening, after this has happened it�s necessary to remove the remaining rubber, I do this with a sandblaster, but a drill mounted flap wheel should also work well, sandblasting while the part is hot works best, don�t burn yourself .



5) Remove metal sleeve from ES bushing and insert bolt and two washers as shown.


6) Apply liberal amount of lithium grease to bushing and locate in arm sleeve as shown, add remaining washers and nut as shown.


7) Begin tightening; the bushing will be pulled into the sleeve. Once the bushing lip is completely within the sleeve as shown it�s possible to simply push it the rest of the way in by hand, it should look like this when done. Lube and re-insert sleeve into bushing.





Knuckle Bushings

1) This is the Bushing you�ll be replacing.


2) As you did insure you have the proper bushing for the Knuckle, center width should match the thickness of the knuckle as shown.


3) Using the hole saw, cut out the center of the bushing.



4) This is the tricky part, removing the metal sleeve from the knuckle, this can be done several ways, my preferred method is to use an air hammer with a chisel attachment.


Getting started with the chisel


Finished product



5) Repeat steps 5-7 of the Arm bushing install




6) Re-install on car.

Hope this is helpful, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask. I know I�m not the best at giving directions, but hopefully the pictures get the point across...
Posted By: RogerB_dup1 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/12/06 01:19 PM
Pictures are worth 1000's of words. Thanks for putting this up.

Questions:

1. Are you sure we don't need to retain the outer bushing sleeve for the knuckle?

2. I don't have an air chisel handy. I have cold chisels and hammers. Any other ideas?

TIA.
Posted By: todras_dup1 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/12/06 02:01 PM
Sweet. Goog job Polerbear.
Posted By: Auto-X Fil Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/12/06 04:12 PM
Originally posted by RogerB:


2. I don't have an air chisel handy. I have cold chisels and hammers. Any other ideas?






Jigsaw?
Posted By: Kremithefrog Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 12:22 AM
Good how-to.
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 12:49 AM
Originally posted by RogerB:


1. Are you sure we don't need to retain the outer bushing sleeve for the knuckle?

2. I don't have an air chisel handy. I have cold chisels and hammers. Any other ideas?





1) Yes, the bushing won't fit with it in there.....

2) That should work, you just need to remove the tension between the sleve and teh knuckle and it'll fall right out, a sawzall to cut a slot in the sleve would work too.

~josh
Posted By: iluvmytour Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 11:28 AM
How harsh is the ride? I've heard unbearable???
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 01:15 PM
You've heard wrong.....
Posted By: todras_dup1 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 05:21 PM
Originally posted by iluvmytour:
How harsh is the ride? I've heard unbearable???




From who? Isn't Josh the only one who has done this?
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 05:31 PM
Originally posted by todras:
Originally posted by iluvmytour:
How harsh is the ride? I've heard unbearable???




From who? Isn't Josh the only one who has done this?




taken from the other thread....

Originally posted by Bradness:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... "Why bother?" Poly bushings used in the rr suspension cause binding and lead to harshness of the NVH type.


Posted By: todras_dup1 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 05:34 PM
Last I checked every model is different. You'll never know until you do it. A contour isn't purchased for floating down the freeway. I doubt you'll be able to feel those bushings back there.
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 05:36 PM
Originally posted by todras:
Last I checked every model is different. You'll never know until you do it. A contour isn't purchased for floating down the freeway. I doubt you'll be able to feel those bushings back there.




You cant....at least not in my experience....i installed them on my SE back in the day and didn't notice a difference in ride quality. I have them on the SVT as well...
Posted By: Auto-X Fil Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 07/13/06 06:25 PM
I thought Bradness was referring to poly ONLY in the rear - that is certainly bad because of the design of the rear suspension. If you have stock rubber in the transverse control arms, the poly in the longitudinal arm will just make that arm have more effect on the position of thw wheel.
Posted By: RogerB_dup1 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 08/28/06 05:50 PM
Just want to say a big thanks to Pole120.

Finally switched out the bushings over the weekend.

Performance? Who knows, but my clunk is gone! Woohoo!

No perceptible increase in ride harshness or noise. Of course, I'm running my rear Konis near full firm, anyway, so YMMV.
Posted By: tsSVT Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 08/28/06 07:20 PM
Great how-to.The ES bushings make no noticable differance in ride or harshness.If they do make any handling differance it all depends on your driving style.
Posted By: posthuman63t Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 08/28/06 09:12 PM
great how-to
Posted By: Thinkmoto Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 08/30/06 10:58 AM
Originally posted by Pole120:
Originally posted by todras:
Originally posted by iluvmytour:
How harsh is the ride? I've heard unbearable???




From who? Isn't Josh the only one who has done this?




taken from the other thread....

Originally posted by Bradness:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... "Why bother?" Poly bushings used in the rr suspension cause binding and lead to harshness of the NVH type.







It wasn't harsh in my car. Couldn't tell even eith the tubular rear control arms whatever......now if you want NVH install some ALinserts in your motor mounts Josh did you ever pull that one out of Kyles car?

Oh Josh you forgot to add make sure you don't let your tree hugging hippie neighbors see you burning out the rubber bushings
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 08/30/06 01:06 PM
Originally posted by Thinkmoto:
Josh did you ever pull that one out of Kyles car?




Yeah, he's got a full poly set in there now.
Posted By: Thinkmoto Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 09/01/06 11:28 AM
Originally posted by Pole120:
Originally posted by Thinkmoto:
Josh did you ever pull that one out of Kyles car?




Yeah, he's got a full poly set in there now.




Put that beeotch in your car so you can feel some real vibs. Poly who needs poly [censored] sissies and your poly filled motor mounts.
Posted By: rwea14 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 09/01/06 11:09 PM
can the knuckle bushing be done on the car???
Posted By: Pole120 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 09/02/06 09:53 AM
Originally posted by rwea14:
can the knuckle bushing be done on the car???




Sure can
Posted By: rwea14 Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 09/02/06 10:03 PM
So I have gotten about 3/4 of the way through changing my knuckle bushings on my car. I am using factory bushings that have the metal sleeves on them, my problem is this, how in the world do I get the bushing to go all the way into the knuckle? I have it within a 1/4 of inch but no matter what I do it will not go..Any ideas??
Posted By: BlackBirdRacing Re: ES Bushing How-to....finally - 09/03/06 02:25 AM
Only thing I would add would be a part number for the ES kit...
© CEG Archives